My name is Brooklynn Fleming, and I am a high school senior with a passion for nursing. I have always been drawn to helping others, and my experiences with mental health have deeply influenced my beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations. Growing up, I witnessed how mental health challenges can affect individuals and families. My own family has faced struggles with anxiety and depression, which opened my eyes to the importance of mental health care and support. These experiences have taught me empathy and the importance of listening, which I believe are essential qualities for a nurse. My belief in the power of kindness and understanding has shaped my relationships with others. I have learned to be more patient and supportive, always striving to be a source of comfort for friends and family members who might be going through tough times. This has strengthened my resolve to pursue a career where I can make a difference in people's lives every day. Throughout most of my life mental health wasn’t something that I thought about. After I experienced a sports injury that ended my sports career, I experienced the worst depression that I had ever witnessed. It lasted over a year and I experienced all a lack of motivation, eating problems, and suicidal thoughts. My parents put me in therapy and I found a therapist who I feel truly saved my life. I still see my therapist and she helps me fight off anxious thoughts and she helps me to find the motivation to follow my passion of helping people. This is what led me to the healthcare field and what propelled me towards this career choice. My aspiration to become a nurse is driven by the belief that mental health is just as important as physical health. I want to be a part of a healthcare system that treats the whole person, recognizing the interconnectedness of mental and physical well-being. I plan to specialize in psychiatric nursing, where I can provide care and support to those struggling with mental health issues. I am committed to making a positive impact on the world through my career in mental health. I envision working in hospitals or community clinics where I can advocate for patients and help break down the stigma surrounding mental health. I also hope to contribute to educational programs that inform young people about mental health and encourage them to seek help when needed. The Autumn Davis Memorial Scholarship would be a tremendous help in supporting my education and allowing me to focus on achieving my goals. With this scholarship, I can continue to pursue my studies in nursing without the added stress of financial burden. It would enable me to dedicate myself fully to my education and future career, where I can make a significant difference in the lives of others. In conclusion, my experience with mental health has profoundly influenced my beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations. I am determined to use my skills and compassion to support individuals facing mental health challenges and to contribute positively to the field of nursing. Thank you for considering my application for the Autumn Davis Memorial Scholarship.

My name is Brooklynn Fleming, and I have always been drawn to the healthcare field because it combines my love for science with my desire to help people. Pursuing a degree in healthcare, specifically nursing, feels like a natural path for me. It is a field where I can make a real difference in people’s lives, and that is what I find most fulfilling. As a woman in healthcare, I hope to contribute to a field that is already rich with strong, caring, and intelligent women. I believe that women bring unique perspectives and strengths to healthcare, including empathy, communication skills, and a nurturing spirit that can enhance patient care. I want to be part of a generation of women who continue to break barriers and set new standards in healthcare. I am the type of person who can’t simply sit on the sidelines. If I can't be incharge of the situation then I like to control and help in whatever way that I possibly can. However, the summer of my sophomore year of highschool I was playing in a summer basketball league and I got knocked down. As I hit the ground I could tell something was wrong but there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t bend my knee, I couldn’t stand. I had torn my right ACL and meniscus. I am a hard worker, and sometimes that translates to me being hard-headed. So I had decided I was gonna win at ACL repair surgery, and that’s exactly what happened. I recovered in 6 months instead of 9 and I was the strongest I had ever been. While that sounds great it was one of the hardest times of my life. I was in no control over my life, and for me that is the worst type of torture. Yet like I said I worked and worked and worked some more until I was healthy and happy again. That is until it happened again almost exactly a year later. This time I am in a softball game sliding into home and I feel my knee buckle. I immediately knew that it happened again and I was right, I tore my left ACL, MCL and my meniscus. I lost my fire, and I didn’t care to win this time, I just wanted it to be over. I had been stripped once again of the control that I desperately wanted in my life. But I got set to work again, I still had one more year left of high school . I worked and worked, through over a hundred Physical Therapy appointments, countless doctors offices and scans and I was on track for my last year of high school. It was the impact of the physical therapists, surgeons and nurses that healed me that led me to choose this career for myself. In the future, I hope to continue my education and get my doctorate in anesthesia. I am excited about the advancements in healthcare technology and how they can improve patient care. As a woman in healthcare, I want to be at the forefront of these changes, helping to implement new practices that benefit patients and healthcare providers alike. Pursuing a degree in healthcare is not just a career choice for me; it is a calling. I am eager to contribute to a field that is constantly evolving and improving. As a woman in healthcare, I hope to make a positive impact by providing compassionate care, advocating for my patients, and working towards a more equitable healthcare system for everyone.